


adoro te devote

by el145b0uch4rds0up (ultradespair11037), thismachinek1llsfascists (ultradespair11037)



Series: dsmp fantasy aus!! [2]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Author Is Not Religious, Author is not Christian, Bisexual Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Catholicism, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Cults, Culture Shock, Dad Quackity, DadSchlatt, Dadza, Fire Powers, Flashbacks, Ghost Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), How Do I Tag, I hope, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Karl Jacobs is a God, Karl Jacobs-centric, M/M, Moving, OH AND WE CANT FORGET, OH GOD OH FUCK, On Hold, Polyamory, Prince GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Religious Content, Religious Guilt, Royalty, SO MANY FLASHBACKS-, So many flashbacks, Time Travel, Well-, Worship, dad wilbur, god i hope i can update this weekly, i mean karl can time travel but like, its a weird mental thing, its mentioned quite a few times, its weird, kind of, king sapnap!, mom niki, not in order most of the time, not quite, piece it together urself lol/j, specifically from karl, updates weekly, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-19 12:20:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29874567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultradespair11037/pseuds/el145b0uch4rds0up, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultradespair11037/pseuds/thismachinek1llsfascists
Summary: karl is in a new country, with his new husband, with new customs and new people.it's hard.and it really doesn't help that he doesn't know anyone here.---------im gonna try to update this weekly but for now,,,,, take this one chapterlowkey inspired by the dnf fic lucky charm so go check that out its greatedit: changing the plot slightly for karlnapity purposesedit #2: on hold for a while because of my insane fucking amount of schoolwork :/ sorry yall
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt, Alexis | Quackity/Sapnap/Karl Jacobs, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), H, I know - Relationship, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Jschlatt/Philza, Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot, Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Yeah, its - Relationship, uhhh more tba
Series: dsmp fantasy aus!! [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2204799
Comments: 32
Kudos: 72





	1. dies irae, dies illa

Karl left his wedding bed early that first morning in Ignis. So early that the royal guard had not bothered to check on him. So early that his dear husband, the new king, a man forged from the brightest fires of hell itself, was still sleeping contently, the slightest hint of a smile on his pale face.

He stumbled out of bed, pulling on the silvery robe that had been thrown so gracefully on the floor by Sapnap. It was thin, and frankly, didn’t hide much of anything. Even in the summer heat of his husband’s country, he still felt like he was frozen half to death. 

Nothing like the sheepskin robes of his homeland made just for him and his family. Nothing like anything he had ever had before.

Nothing like home. 

Karl tied the robe with a thick, red silk cord as his husband had taught him. 

(it was basic etiquette- Nick had explained to him the day he arrived, -everyone here dressed in simple robes and darkly coloured linen rather than the fancy, thick, beautifully crafted artisanal clothing he was used to. As expected of a desert country.)

It was simple enough. Too much so, even. So relaxed. He felt like a commoner. 

The halls of the castle changed that rather quickly, though. They were the color of the merlot that they had drunk at dinner last night, of the bruises that were scattered over Karl’s neck and chest, and decorated with the finest golds he had ever seen. It reminded him of his husband, in a way. 

(Time had been kind to the country, he thought, kinder than it had been to his dear Nick.)

He felt the history of the palace in every echoed step. Who knew something so still could be so lively?

There were no sounds besides Karl’s footsteps, and he still felt as if every bit of history that had occurred in the palace, no matter how big or small, was etched into his brain. Archived, just in case anyone needed it. He silently thanked the lost souls of the land for their trust, and he swore that he felt them smile upon him.

Divine, the gentle prince of Horae truly was.

Divine, the new king of Ignius shall be. 

An air of contentment fell over the castle, and for a moment, Karl felt at home. It helped that the room he’d just stumbled upon, the baths, was colder than the other rooms. Not quite like the freezing temperatures of his beloved land without time, but close enough.

He undressed, folding his clothing carefully like he had been taught to, drawing his bath for the first time he could remember. 

(Royalty in Horae were very different from their counterparts in Ignius. So uptight, so knowledgeable, so demanding. Some part of Karl deep down missed that.) 

This was his kingdom now, it was his life, his soul, his everything. And it was exhilarating to do something so little here that would have gotten him in trouble back home. 

Unfortunately, the happiness could not last, as the soreness in his legs finally hit him and he slumped back in the ivory tub, splashing some of the scalding water out. He supposed this was the one downside to marrying someone so passionate. 

The soreness refused to subside as Karl washed his hair. The shampoo was different. It smelled like roses and teakwood and his husband, and he decided that it wasn’t bad at all. He quite liked it. He imagined Nick doing this for him instead. How he’d probably blow bubbles in his face, how gentle his hands would be. How his hands would somehow find their way down, down, down like they always did- 

That was enough thinking for now. 

An unstained robe the color of a ripe strawberry hung near the tub, and he was just about to put it on when--

“Karl? Why’d you leave me behind?”

His husband’s voice was whiny and thick with sleep. Poor thing must have gotten lonely. 

“I, um, well-”

“‘S okay, baby. I’m not mad.”

All of the tension left Karl’s body when he felt Sapnap’s arms around him. He was always so strong, and smaller than him, too. The perfect contrast to his lithe figure. The people of Horae would say that they were created for each other, a sweet, divine prince and his kind, protective husband. Karl held that part of his homeland dear, held the fact that they existed for each other and to make the world better close to his heart. 

He leaned into his husband’s touch, and, before he knew it, he was being carried back to bed. Soft lips were pressed to his forehead as he was laid down, and then there was a warm figure at his side. Sap kissed the damp hair on Karl’s head, not caring that he was wet at all, holding his freezing husband tightly so he wouldn’t go again.

Karl drifted off as the sun rose, to the ticking of a clock in the back of his head. He followed it to sleep, beyond that, and finally, to what he could only assume was a spirit of the castle.

A spirit in green and who, when asked to introduce himself, simply said;

“I am nothing but a Dream.”


	2. gloria in excelsis deo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any tma listeners??? any of yall???

Sapnap woke with Karl in his arms and the sun shining through the parchment-colored curtains. It was about 7, which meant the guards wouldn’t be making their rounds for another half hour, and he could not hear the jingle of Eret’s golden jewelry yet, so he assumed that she wouldn’t be coming for a while either. 

Everything in its place, as it should be. 

Everything the way he liked it.

Everything completely on schedule to keep his beloved Karl sane.

He traced his fingers over the bruises he’d left- his husband was sure to scold him for it later, just like he always did. It became very clear to him that his husband had a certain way of doing things- even if he didn’t understand it, he adapted to it as best he could. 

(Sapnap assumed it had something to do with his upbringing in Horae. Not that there had been anything wrong with it. Their people just tended to be odd.)

Gently, he tucked a piece of Karl’s hair behind his ear, just to see his pretty face a bit more closely. Everything about him was perfect. For such a rigid man, he was built so softly. So gently. So carefully. If there was a god, like the one Karl prayed to on his knees every night with that morganite rosary.  
Sapnap would have to thank him for his most beautiful creation. He’d thank him for trusting such a childish king with the most intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful man ever created. 

Only if he truly existed, though.

(Karl looked so beautiful on his knees like that, whispering about all that he wished for in his thin silk robe, the moonlight peeking through the curtains and illuminating his face. He might as well be a lunar eclipse, Sapnap thought, so beautiful, and so rare.)

For now, he just warmed his husband as best he could, trying to relax him through whatever nightmare he seemed to be having this time. This was normal for him- every few nights or so, Karl would be plagued by some sort of outlandish nightmare. They’d tried everything. Doctors, potions, spells, prayers- nothing worked. 

Someone might as well have taken Sapnap off the throne then and there, because if he couldn’t help his husband, how could he help an entire kingdom? 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the clinking of Eret’s anklets and bracelets, the drag of the rosewood colored cloak on the floor. Why did she insist on wearing that? 

It was so hot. Why?

Why. 

She opened the door with her usual grace- what was he thinking? Eret, graceful? No, no, she was much more than that. Like a prima ballerina for the most respected company in the world. She moved smoothly, never missing a step, never dropping anything at all. She held the tea trays with ease, and- no, no, he must be imagining things. Breakfast was always like this. Was always beautiful and brighter than anything he had ever seen, with a color palette of pewter and mauve. 

And Eret herself. No, no, not ‘herself’. Himself. Eret himself had always been around 5’8, right? He had always been slim, with short dark hair like an odd mix of hickory wood and walnuts, and coal eyes that stalked, taking in everything in the room as if he had never seen it before. 

He had always dressed so well, in the clothes of his husband’s nation, covered head to toe in humble shades of mahogany and olive. 

Just how Karl used to.

Just how Karl wants to, so badly. 

Eret smiled his normal, gentle smile, and Sapnap sat up to say hello. 

Karl laid still, lost in his own world. Lost in the faces, and the eyes- oh, the eyes. Lost in how every single one stared at him, burning into his skin, as he trekked through this nightmare. 

Lost in a pair of coal eyes that stalked, and a man in green, who when asked his name once again, simply said. 

“I am everything. I am nothing. I am Dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTTHEM GEORGE BABY LETS GO


	3. oculus

It was so brightly colored, wherever Karl was- like all of the colors had been turned up to max saturation. It burned. In all of that loudness, though, in all of that horrid, horrid noise, stood the man in green. 

He had a dull glow about him. A calmness that he could not comprehend. Something that made him feel funny. He followed the man- the Dream -wherever he took him. Down the winding chipped brick roads that shone like his mother’s porcelain, through the rain, and through the snow. 

Through the eyes. 

They burned. They yelled. They screeched and whimpered and all Karl could do was pray that it would stop, pray that he would wake up and everything would be alright again, that his husband--

Wait. 

Where was his husband? 

Where was his Nick?

He must not know what’s going on. He must not see. He can never see. 

The Dream turned to him, features soft and kind. His eyes, if Karl was able to see them at all amongst all the others, were beautiful and green. Like a fresh pear he’d picked at home, straight from the Horean orchards in mid-winter, and his skin was soft. At least, it looked soft. A tug on the wrist from the Dream would reveal that his ivory skin was quite weathered, covered in scars of battles long ago. 

Battles he would never be able to comprehend, seen through a dirty sepia lens. 

He was tugged to a dreary beach, colored in thousands of shades of gray. The only real color was the Dream, he noticed, as the color started to drain from his own body and into the sand, giving the pulsing monster the sustenance it so clearly craved. 

On the other end of the beach stood a man with a kind smile, and coal eyes. Gentle coal eyes that seemed to smile. It was almost enough to make Karl comfortable. 

“You thought it was going to be that easy?”

Karl did not know what it was. He did not want to know what it was. He clutched the fire agate rosary that had just appeared in his hand, wishing so badly to step back, to run. 

The Dream did not allow this. 

No matter how horrifying he was, no matter how much his neck bent and twisted like a cracking bamboo pole or how much garnet blood pooled at their feet from the opening wounds on his body, Karl refused to be scared. He denied it as he watched the man fall apart in front of him in a sorrowful manner as if he was trying to express something so very important that Karl could just not comprehend. 

A scream came from beyond the horizon, and the prince was pulled apart and thrown back together as he woke up and was met with those same coal eyes. 

They had a fondness in them now, a level of understanding. Karl found himself being comforted by it instead of scared. Scared, like he should be. Scared, like his husband should be.

Eret said a soft good morning, his voice higher now- did his accent always sound like that? It was unlike anything Karl had heard before. Then again, Karl had not heard many voices in his 21 years. He’d have to ask Nick what it was later. 

He watched as Eret drew the curtains, the soft swish of his cloak- 

Wait. Why was he wearing a cloak? 

He swore he’d been dressed differently a moment ago. 

It was probably nothing, he thought, he was still too tired to comprehend much of anything. 

Karl leaned on his husband for comfort, muttering a little prayer and taking a sip of the tea that had been brought to him. It tasted different than it usually did, barely anything like the normal black tea with sugar he was given.

He took another sip. 

Eret left the room quickly, for what reason, Karl did not know- usually, he tended to stay behind and chat a bit. He was one of the only other people Karl knew outside of Horae, after all- despite living in Ignius for quite a few years, he had never really met his new people. Hell, he’d never even met the castle mage his husband spoke so highly of. 

Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was for his own good. Sapnap didn’t keep him under lockdown, he willingly stayed inside, away from his people, with only his husband and their head servant as company. He was never pushed to go anywhere, but now he felt like he had to. 

Why? 

Why. 

Why did he feel the need to find that dreary, gray beach? He needed to find it, and he needed to sit by the water and be comfortable for once. 

Karl needed to find the beach for someone. Not anyone he knew. But someone needed it. 

He would do that later, though--- for now he just ate with his husband in comfortable silence, not even speaking to scold him for the hickeys he’d left the night before.

They fit him, in some odd way.

He quite liked them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy oh boy we're getting to dream's pov WE'RE GETTING TO DREAMS POV   
> ive never been more excited to write anything in my life oh my god


	4. aestus

It was around ten that morning when Karl kissed his husband goodbye for the first time in two years. He’d not left the castle in so long, and when he did, it was because it was mandatory. But now, he went on his own volition, dressed in whatever Sapnap had picked for him to wear that day. 

(They’d fallen into a sort of routine since Karl had come to Ignius three years ago, and that included choosing each other's clothing. He didn’t mind at all. His husband would be beautiful in anything he chose, so he never put much thought into it. Sapnap, on the other hand, was careful with what he chose for his dear prince. Since he was traveling today, he dressed him in porcelain and heather, with many amazonite rings and golden necklaces that shone in the desert sun. Almost as beautiful as he was.) 

Of course, he’d been offered a ride, but he’d declined. It would be easier to meet the people if he walked alone anyway, right? Even if that wasn’t his goal, it would still be nice to know them.   
It would still be nice to see. 

His heart would guide him to his destination, even though he had no idea where it was. Simply stopping his thoughts (as much as he could in such a crowded, bustling part of the kingdom, anyway) was all he had to do. The Dream would help too- he was sure of it. Why else would he have taken him to that dreary, clouded beach if it wasn’t important? Why else would he have shown Karl all of his wounds, tried to express his pain and sorrow, if there was no way he could help? 

Karl fidgeted with a few of his rings, holding his hands close to his body as he walked to make sure that none would fall off or be stolen. Not that the people of Ignius would ever do such a thing. Crime rates were low, and they already seemed to regard him with kindness and love. It was just better to be safe than sorry. He strolled through the outdoor market. It was bustling with life. 

Beautiful. Just like his mother had described it. 

There was color everywhere he looked and, even though it was midmorning, multicolored lanterns lilted through the air, soft as a lullaby, completed with a fading scent of lavender perfume. It was loud, as to be expected of something in the middle of the city, and Karl found that he quite liked it. It was different from his homeland- different in a good way. He saw no sadness in the faces of the people, no neutral expressions, just pure and utter happiness. 

He assumed it was just how these people born of fire were. It was certainly how his husband was, and he’d yet to see anyone who challenged that idea. 

A loud BANG! sounded nearby, and Karl turned his head to see a young man of… maybe 25? He couldn’t tell- he looked quite young and older than him at the same time. 

It must be the scars, he thought, staring at the boy’s cut pale face. 

The boy was tall, with blonde hair like a daffodil and lapis stones in his eyes, and he was laying in a fallen cart of apples, laughing his ass off. Karl almost started laughing, too- he covered his mouth with his hand to prevent it. It wasn’t polite to laugh at commoners, after all. 

“Tommy!” 

That must be his name. Tommy. It made sense. So normal, yet so chaotic. Tommy sat up in the fallen cart with a smile, crossing his arms and looking at the taller man who had run to get him.

“Wilbur.” 

The other man- Wilbur, was dressed well for a commoner. On his back, he carried a stringed instrument of some sort. Maybe a guitar? Karl couldn’t quite tell. He pulled Tommy from the rubble, visibly annoyed. Karl noticed that his movements were sluggish, and his hair was messy and undone. 

So this happened a lot. 

Wilbur glared at Tommy, and Tommy simply rolled his eyes. 

“Well, I’m sorry that you don’t know how to have fun!”

“You can have fun without costing us hundreds of dollars, Tommy.”

“I didn’t know you had a stick so far up your ass. Lighten up a bit, will you?”

“Be quiet. If Phil—- if Dad sees this, we’re dead.” 

Tommy went pale and immediately pulled a few bills out of his satchel to pay for the apples as an apology. His brother smiled like a smug idiot. He didn’t get to be right very often- especially not when it came to Tommy, so he felt sort of accomplished. 

“Hah! You didn’t think about that, did you, dumbass?”

“Shut up, Wilbur.”

“You’re mad because I’m right!” 

Wilbur said as he walked off, not waiting for Tommy. Walking faster on purpose so that the younger boy couldn’t catch up. 

“No I’m not—- wait, Wil, come back!”

That’s just how siblings were, right? Karl had never had any of his own, so it was odd to see them interacting out in public like this. Even those who did have siblings in Horae treated them coldly. 

He just chalked it up to Ignian nonsense again as he continued on his route, buying a loaf of bread and picking up one of the fallen apples to snack on when he arrived at the beach.   
There wasn’t much more time to walk. Lunch at the palace was around one-thirty, and it was already eleven. Maybe Sap was right- he should’ve just taken one of the many carriages they barely ever used. It would be fine, though. He just had to be quick. 

By twelve, he felt the salt in the air, saw the sky turn grayer and grayer, shifting between unremarkable shades of silver and slate and ash, and soon enough, he felt the color leaving him as well. He was simply a husk, something to be filled with sand and sewn up.

Karl sat down in the soot-colored sand, his bread and apple now long gone, and took off his shoes. It was colder here- much, much colder -and the wind howled like a hunting dog at the full moon. He closed his eyes, falling back, back, back, and again, to the ticking of the clock in the back of his head, he fell into the warm embrace of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is. the longest one ive written wow--


	5. amantis

George was gorgeous- this was widely accepted as a fact around his kingdom. Not only was he beautiful, but he was smart, and loved by his people.

Clay just called it ‘pretty privilege’.

That was at least a little bit of it, he was sure. But sitting here, in the pitiful ash that people called sand, by the dark, cloudy, stone-colored water that they lovingly called their sea, Clay found himself drowning in George.

They’d been through plenty of rough times together. Hell, they were in the middle of a war. Phil was too busy with his sons to finish it, his sons were not yet strong enough to do anything about it, and Schlatt.

Well, no one but Quackity had heard from Schlatt since he had stormed out of the palace in a drunken rage, and Quackity had left quietly soon after that.

So really, Clay had everything to lose.

He held his boyfriend—- fiance. His fiance. He still had to get used to saying that— he held him tightly, pulling him close and kissing his head softly, smelling his angelica and rose shampoo.

‘I’ll protect you with my life,” He whispered, a soft smile on his face, “I swear it.”

And he did.

It didn’t help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dead queer people. how r we feeling mfs


	6. embolaria: multa nocte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the fucky wucky time travel shit starts getting worse   
> yes this is a bad summary i know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next few chapters r just gonna be karl zooming through time and the memories he's collected from being out in the city + some of his own:)   
> (the last one was too--)

Karl still remembered Niki. Not like there was any way he could forget. She raised him, after all. He thought fondly of her lavender perfume, of her warmth, of her voice and of her icy eyes like sapphires. 

(Her eyes could talk. There was no doubt in his mind. How could she scold him so easily without words? How could she slip her voice into his head? It was all in those icy eyes.)

But, most of all, he remembered her stories. On cold winter nights when he had been tucked into bed, Niki would recite one of many stories about a kind warrior with a guitar and his brash brother, or a fatherly mage with a big heart, or a beautiful, strong man who valued people above anything else. 

“Once upon a time,” 

Niki always started, her voice soft and loving. Seeing how Karl’s eyes lit up when he heard those words made her smile. 

He was her baby. Her world. 

Her son. 

“There was a mage. And the mage was called….what should we call him this time, Karl?”

Karl thought for a moment, sitting up in his bed and holding his arms out so that his mother would hold him. 

“We’ll call him Birdie!”

Niki laughed softly, pulling her son into her lap and letting him rest his head on her chest. 

“Alright. The mage was called Birdie, and he had three sons. The oldest son loved those close to him more than anything, and he fought for them with all his might. The middle son was kind and loving, with the voice of an angel and a laugh that made the world stop and stare in awe at his beauty. The youngest son had the spirit of a revolution, and the strength of an army. When put together, they were called…”

She trailed off, looking down at Karl for an answer. He was fast asleep, comfortable in his mother’s arms. Niki never wanted to let him go. She wanted to protect her baby with all of her might- wanted to be the perfect mother for him. 

Wanted to be like Phil. Wanted to make them all proud of her. 

They would have loved Karl. 

“..the sleepy boys. And it seems that I’ve got a very sleepy boy right here, too.”

A gentle kiss was pressed to her sleepy son’s forehead, and she laid him back down in his bed. 

“Goodnight, Karl. I love you.”

She blew out the candle on the bedside table, and like that, she was gone, back to her room in the church. Away from her son. From the child she kept going for. 

From the child who had given Niki hope that someone else could escape. 

Get out, Karl. 

Your mother will always love you.


	7. lacerna

Techno found Niki frozen half to death in the forest a few miles away from Ignius, near the port where refugee boats arriving from Horae docked. She was curled up near a tree, using what few things she’d brought with her to warm herself up. If it were anyone else, he would’ve found them pathetic. Left them there to die. 

But there was something special about Niki- he could tell. Was it because his father was a mage? Could he just sense magic in people? 

He didn’t know. Didn’t want to know, frankly. Techno didn’t want anything that fucker had passed down to him. 

He took off his cloak, picking the much smaller girl up and wrapping her in it. If she had any energy left, she would’ve tried to run. He could tell by the way her eyes shot open immediately, and he could hear it, too. Her mouth was too numb to form words, so her eyes did all of the talking. 

‘Put me down.’ 

Techno tilted his head slightly, looking down at her as she got comfortable in his cloak, slowly warming up. 

‘….No.’ 

She didn’t resist. He was trying to help her, right? If he wasn’t, Niki could always deal with that later. It was easier to just snuggle up in the stranger's warm fur cloak and to fall back asleep in his strong arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> technosimp real/hj


	8. A/N: god i really fucking love this au-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> im just gonna talk abt how much i love this au bc. yes

first of all wow??? thanks for all the support this deadass started bc i wanted to write a bath scene and now im like updating it daily thats fucking crazy to me-   
theres a lot more worldbuilding to come, im currently making a few conlangs for the different areas of this world because i love it so gd much!!! im also gonna start writing a pirate au soon so look out for that ig   
overall just-- thank yall ur so pog/gen and a new chapter should be out by tonight/tomorrow morning!  
-svn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone please let me infodump abt this au i have--- so much to say oh my god-


	9. meus fili

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heres the promised update!!! this is going to be the last of the flashbacks (i think) before karl's actually 20 years in the past! i was planning on doing a quackity and schlatt one for Introductions Sake but idk. anyway heres what u need to know going into this chapter lol  
> -philza + family speaks aoeya'atil (birdsong), and theres actually a bit of it in this chapter. its the first song played, and its a translation of the russian lullaby bayu bayushki bayu. every š is a soft whistling sound and every k or ch is a click :>  
> -the other language mentioned, asgi, is what they speak in ignius. basically assume that if a flashback takes place in ignius theyre speaking asgi  
> -this flashback takes place abt  
> and the rest will be explained once i finish this part of the story and go onto write what
> 
> _actually_
> 
> happened when karl wasn't fucking with the timeline!

(B, B, B major, F sharp.)

Wil loved to sit by the window late at night, when he was sure everyone was asleep, and just play. There would never be a more glorious feeling than closing his eyes, sitting by the open window, and letting his fingers guide him to the strings, to the right chord, to the melody, to a song that captivated all who may be listening. 

If only his home weren’t on the outskirts of town, where no one could hear him. If only his father would let him go to the royal court and play for King George just once. 

(No, no, that’s not right.)

(E major, C, A major, B, B major.)

(Perfect.) 

His voice was gentle, beautiful. Niki once told him that it was “like hearing a choir of angels sing”. He remembered the way Techno smiled when she said that- when she said anything, honestly. His brother had always been so kind to Niki, and Niki had returned the favor.

Unfortunately, time had not been as kind to any of them as she had wished. 

Cheš, phušoš lélé, nu koš phauš en miš…..

Nu munšušz phauš šer lu lirk!….

Un haueš jroš zounkrau….

Eš aušzrauphu lu šinnuaue….

Il zau aušzrauphur lu laurol….

Eš šrauînu-mio kaunš luš lioš….

Es š’ummènu kaunš luš lioš….

Šiešz lau lriešzu….

It would be easier to sing in Asgi, but Aoeya’atil had an unmatched beauty. It was like birdsong. No matter how much Wilbur despised it, or how many bad memories he had of his father screaming at him in it, he would always drift back to it. Wil assumed that’s why Phil still let him play at all- because it reminded him of his homeland. 

He played quietly enough as to not wake anyone up, keeping his eyes closed and smiling as the chords fell into place. When he finally did open his eyes, he was met with an odd sight. 

A girl, not much older than him, carrying a small ginger baby in a basket. She was ginger as well, and her long, fluffy hair fell over her shoulders, going down, down, down to the floor. She must’ve been sitting there for a while now- 10, 20 minutes? And it was so late. What was she even doing here? 

The silence was so painfully awkward that when Wil finally opened his mouth to speak, he looked down. 

“Hello-”

When he looked back up to introduce himself, the girl was gone. She’d left the baby- presumably her baby, on the floor outside, wrapped in a light blue blanket and still laying snugly in the basket. Wil put his guitar down and climbed out of the window to see it. 

The baby had been about to cry when he finally saw Wilbur. He looked up at him with the widest, most adorable and hopeful hazel eyes the boy had ever seen. This child needed Wilbur. His mother- or sister, whatever she was- would be coming back soon, though, right? 

She had to be. No one just leaves a baby in the care of a sixteen year old boy who was playing guitar at one in the fucking morning. 

The child started getting fussy again, and so Wilbur picked him up, holding him like he was told to hold little Ranboo when he came around. 

Those two weren’t so different in age. 

Maybe they could get along. 

“Shh, shh, calm down, little one,” He said, rocking the child gently, “you’re okay, I’ve got you.” 

He calmed down, and Wilbur felt a warmth- a sense of accomplishment, maybe? Yes. That was surely it. He leaned down a bit to see the baby more closely. His cheeks were chubby, eyes bright and round, with fluffy ginger hair and a smattering of freckles over his adorable face. They looked quite alike. At least, Wilbur thought so. 

A chubby hand was brought to his cheek, and Wilbur closed his eyes, soaked in the touch like he’d just been told every secret of the universe, and smiled. 

Surely Phil wouldn’t mind having another child around, right? 

(E flat, E flat major, A flat, G flat.)

Hush, my child, take my hand

Hold it as we fall through time

Hear my voice as the clock ticks,

Go off to sleep when it chimes

Remember when you wake up

I’ll see you again

We will be at peace, no more blood will be shed

Listen, my dear, as I sing you to sleep

Tomorrow we will meet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thx to my bitches https_nyx_info and potion_seller for betaing this 4 me!!! they rly popped off with this one
> 
> other places potion_seller has popped off: her hogwarts au. the only thing out rn is the phil chapter but she's such a good writer check it out https://archiveofourown.org/works/29331339
> 
> other places https_nyx_info has popped off: her karlnapity fic its so fluffy i vbhfdjisjcb vbgfhdusioskdfngbhfjdk  
> check it out https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472441
> 
> -svn <3


	10. somni

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god oh fuck more notes  
> simply put because im shitty at explaining things in my writing karl is now the same age as niki was when she arrived in ignius (14). thats. pretty much it honestly- 
> 
> this is kind of a filler chapter that i wrote bc i finished my hw and couldn't sleep so!! hope u enjoy it!!

The room Karl woke up in was warm and homey, lit only by one flickering candle. He wished he could appreciate it instead of feeling the empty numbness of the frostbite that had just hit him, a reminder that he was not where he once was. His first thought was that he was in some little cottage on the palace grounds that he had yet to see- somewhere special, with flowers out front and a little farm nearby, maybe some horses. Nick had brought him here, and everything would be okay once he came to sweep him off his feet. 

His frostbitten, tired, dying feet. 

Even the idea of moving his body made him miserable, and he found himself laying his head back on his abnormally hot pillow, doing his best to drift back into sleep. Imagine the clock, imagine it going, ‘one, tick! two, tock! three, tick! four, tock!’, imagine it going on and on, imagine Nick, imagine his warmth, imagine the clock chiming, and-  
It didn’t work. Karl sighed, trying his best to prop himself up, opening his eyes to look around the room as best he could. It was tidy, but very lived in, with swords all around, some potted potato plants, and scuffed up walls; it was comforting, in a way. He thought maybe his mother had told him of a place like this, of people who took her in when she left home. A mage and his three sons. He’d yet to see anyone else around, though. 

Maybe they’d just dropped him here and gone off to do something else? No, no, that couldn’t be right. Karl was very clearly physically unwell, so at least one person had to be in the house with him. 

His suspicions were confirmed when a man with wings the color of the sea in summer walked peeked his head through the door. The man looked kind, yet stern and his eyes were like Niki’s. Piercing sapphires that did every bit of talking for him. Except the way his spoke sounded like birdsong, with beautiful chirps and whistles and clicks that almost lulled Karl back to sleep. Something about him was familiar. Like they had met before. 

“Oh, good, you’re awake. I wanted to make sure before I came in..”

He had a gentle voice with a slight scratchiness. It was comforting, kind of like the familiar sound of an old record. Karl watched as the man walked into the room and took his seat on the bed, keeping his wings folded behind his back. Maybe he thought having them out would scare Karl in his current slightly delirious state. Maybe they were just a general inconvenience. He looked at the man more closely, taking everything about him in.

The man was tall, with fluffy dandelion-colored hair that reached his shoulders, and pale skin with a slight pink tint to it. He had freckles all over his face and, presumably, his neck, too, from what he could see of it. His clothes were made of some sort of heavy cotton, and were the color of seaweed. Something about all this together just….made him feel right. Like someone Karl could trust.

Karl opened his mouth to talk to the man, but no words came out. He looked down at the prince with pity, and only then did Karl notice the small wooden bowl of soup he was holding.

“Please don’t strain yourself….when Techno found you out in the forest, I thought there’d be no hope. You were barely conscious and had the worst frostbite any of us had ever seen, and I’m no healer, so I….” 

The man tried his best to hide his worry and smile. He seemed to be rather good at that. Must’ve had a bit of practice. 

“Well, I did my best! And I made you some soup. Mireu. The kids always love it so much when they’re not feeling well, so I thought that maybe you’d like it, too.” 

Karl was still unable to respond or move much at all, and so the man just brought a spoonful of the mireu to his lips. It was hot- boiling, almost- and it warmed him up right away, besides that, it reminded him of the food his mother would make for him. Hot, with so much care and love put into it. If Karl could, he would have smiled. The man seemed delighted with how much he enjoyed the soup, and he was able to eat half of the bowl before inevitably falling back to sleep as he slowly warmed back up.  
———  
Techno watched from the hallway as his father doted on this 14-year-old boy they barely knew, watched as he spoon-fed him as if he were a toddler, as he sat with him on the bed and made sure that he slept well. It- well, it didn’t hurt, per se- it just left an empty, burning feeling in his chest. As the oldest, he was used to being replaced over and over again, but not by anyone he had brought home out of the goodwill of his heart. 

That was a lie. He saved Karl to impress his father. Everything he did was to impress his father, no matter how much he resented him or denied it. 

And deep down, he knew that Karl did not belong here. This was not his time, not his place. Phil had to know it, too, even more so than Techno did. 

If he was going to wonder why, even for a moment, Phil hadn’t said anything, that stopped immediately. Phil stood up from his spot on the bed, and, before going to leave the room, gave the boy a look of contentment. Like he could finally rest peacefully now that he had appeared. 

Like he was Niki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT 1000 HITS UHHH---- TY???? I??? BGHFJIDKFGH ITS CURRENTLY 1 IN THE MORNING SO I CANT REALLY HAVE A PROPER REACTION BUT TY SM OH YMGOD


	11. lore shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaa im so sorry for all the a/ns im just rather hyperfixated on this au and really love just t a l k in ng about it

since i've been unable to update for a while, i thought i'd at least give y'all a bit more insight into the lore of the world because 1) notes are fun to me and 2) I don't have time to do a proper update:(

here's what i can tell you guys: niki didn't stay with the sleepy boys forever (kinda obvious), she was 14 when techno found her and the flashback with karl took place about three years later (keep in mind that niki is not royal, karl is, they aren't biologically related). techno inherited the ability to sense magic from Phil, who's a mage. Phil's my favorite right now because there's so much worldbuilding i can do with him and his dead country! 

George was king at one point, Dream was supposed to be royal consort (can't have two kings! that's not how succession works! if everything went well, he would've had the title of prince). i really have to write more for them oh god-- but uh yeah!! and Sap. He's been left out a lot since the third or fourth chapter. He's dealing with some other things. 

anyway thats kinda it!! i'll try to update like next week or even later this week if things slow down:)

**Author's Note:**

> woah this is the first time ive actually liked something that ive written


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